


Fudging Futures

by ilyena_sylph, Merfilly



Series: Abandoned Concepts [7]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Background Relationships, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2017-03-14
Packaged: 2018-10-05 00:43:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10293569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilyena_sylph/pseuds/ilyena_sylph, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: TheFalconand crew wind up back to a point when the Clone Wars are only half-completed. Time-changing shenanigans ensue.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was a tangent we were exploring. It's to a point of what different angles various people are going to take, but we ran out of steam on it. Please enjoy and feel free to imagine the rest.

It was supposed to be a quiet, easy mission to give them all time to get out of the limelight, a chance to actually work through the whirlwind of events from Tatooine to Endor, and get their heads on straight.

Just the _Falcon_ and her proper family, now that Lando had replaced the communication array, was what Han had been promised. He agreed, wheedled Luke into it, who convinced Leia. Artoo and Threepio had seemed eager for the opportunity, which just went to show how overworked everyone actually was when the droids needed a vacation.

Chewbacca had refused to go home, declaring he wasn't really in a good shape yet to endure his wife's advances, making Threepio splutter rather than keep translating for Leia. She'd learned enough to figure it out for herself though.

Quiet and easy never lasted, Han realized, when they were all together. The rift in the hyperspace continuum had not felt like an Interdictor, and the _Falcon_ wasn't as strained by the tear into real space as if it had been one… and nothing on the viewscreen screamed Empire.

No, Han was staring at a childhood memory, as a space battle raged far too close to his precious ship and family (when had that happened? Kriff, but the twins had snared him good!), causing him to doubt his sanity.

"That's the smallest Star Destroyer I've ever seen!" Luke exclaimed, confused by the steel-gray and red ship ahead, surrounded by Z-95s and some ships he didn't actually recognize.

"That's because it ain't kid," Han snapped, eyes still focused ahead. "How in hell is there a _Ventator_ class capital ship still in -- wait, those are vulture droids!"

Chewbacca rowled in agreement, even as he flipped deflectors forward.

"Han?" Leia questioned, leaning forward and around, trying to draw Han's attention, "What do you mean? Ships may not be my specialty, but I don't recognize either of those capital ships." 

Luke was torn between trying to get answers and watching the fight unfolding in front of them. It was different than the combat he'd see in the Rebellion, two capital ships (large, but he was still comparing the ' _Ventator_ ' to a Star Destroyer in his head, and it looked so small in comparison) pounding each other with turbolasers while swarms of fighters he didn't recognize at all spun and fought and died between the ships and down towards the planet or moon 'below'. 

And there was something strange about that, too. He felt deaths at the destruction of some of the fighters, the small rents in the Force of a life ending... but not the others? What? 

"We've landed somewhere they think the Clone Wars are still in fashion," Han said. "Chewie, watch those vulture droids!"

Chewie sniped back with a quick retort about knowing that, and would Han not tell him the obvious… except less politely. 

"Well how am I supposed to know you'd ever seen them, buddy? You don't talk about your past," Han said, while trying to focus on getting bearings. "We don't need to get caught up in this little throwback party, but I think the nav comp is out of whack. It's reading this system as being near Felucia."

Luke turned, calling back through the ship, "Artoo! See what you can do with the navicomputer, won't you?! It thinks we're halfway across the galaxy from where we were!" 

Artoo chirped a cheerful agreement and rolled in, connecting with the _Falcon_ , while Leia stared forward, shaking her head. "The Clone Wars? But that makes no sense, Han, even just from what little I was ever told..."

"I know, sweetheart, but I've watched these fights a million times, if I've seen them once!" Han said, admitting to something he never would have outside of stress. He had to keep his family safe. They weren't safe if -- "Luke, need you to go man one of the turrets! A couple of Vultures are moving this way! Deflectors won't stop the buzzers they release!"

Artoo rolled into place, his processors overclocking themselves as hidden, locked memories warred with the current situation. He would get the navicomputer functional, so his own processor could rest. He remembered fights like this as well, from the socket of a Jedi Starfighter, alongside the best pilot to ever live.

Chewie asked a question, and Han's eyes went wide. 

"It's not possible for that to be a Republic ship! I don't care what you're getting from her transponder!"

Leia squeezed his shoulder, confused and watching the destruction ahead warily. For Han to admit to something from back then, from before the Fall of the Republic... he was truly rattled, and that worried her. Chewie's question rocked her further, but she couldn't admit to that. If Han was this distressed, she had to hold steady. 

Luke turned and ran, scrambling up into the familiar wrap of the seat, hands wrapping around the controls as his eyes scanned for the threat, Han's last words replaying in his ears. A Republic ship? A _Republic_ ship? That -- that made quite literally no sense. 

He watched ahead, swinging the guns with a shift of his weight, and shot one of the 'vulture droids' as it got too close for his comfort. He grabbed the comm then, tucking it into his ear, before taking a shot at the second just before it would have disappeared below the ship. 

"Leia! Could use you on the other set if any more of 'em come..." 

Artoo prodded at the navicomputer, querying where it was gathering its data, and the _Falcon_ 's response was... exactly what he would have done to reset telemetry. He warbled in frustration and ran the reset again... and _still_ came up with Felucia. That was **completely** irrational, but also apparently accurate. 

He disliked this, intensely. Chewbacca's question made him connect to the comm system himself... and he could not keep back the startled noise at the designation of the ship. He knew that ship! That was the 104th's second flagship!

"I'm on it, Luke," Leia said as she reached the turret tube, letting gravity do its flip and scrambling to the other gun. "How can there be anywhere in the galaxy that would be fighting the Clone Wars still? My father said the droids all went inert on or around Empire Day. And all Republic assets were folded into the Empire!"

"All I know right now, princess, is that I haven't seen most of those ship types since I was still on Corellia in an orphanage." Han carefully maneuvered, certain he didn't want to test the Republic ships' patience either.

From the co-pilot seat, Chewie gave a small triumphant roar as they saw the control tower on the Separatist flagship start blossoming in a series of explosions. He, like Han beside him, knew that should be the end of the threat very shortly, even if the _Ventator_ was showing severe damage in several quadrants too.

Artoo chirped in satisfaction as the Sep cruiser began to explode -- less clankers, always good -- even as the presence of a Republic flagship squawking that particular identifier continued to confuse his overworked processor. 

Luke hissed to himself as a shot missed and one of the Vulture droids dove out of his sight -- but Leia made a satisfied sound a few moments later, and he knew the droid had been destroyed. Half of the forces in front of them began behaving erratically, tight groupings collapsing, and he stretched out his attention, trying to understand.... and he brushed against a beacon of Light and strength and firm resolve. 

He hadn't felt anything like that since... since Yoda. But that wasn't his Master. Who... 

There was a touch of startlement in the other presence before Luke's gentle brush against that mind was caught and held, a firm invitation to introduce himself in one part of the mind, even as the presence was focused on battle.

No, not the battle per se, but focused on protecting the men fighting with him. 

~I do not know you,~ came across, very clearly, in the next moment, behind the vague invitation. The impression of a deep voice, full of resonance, was in the words.

"Chewie, be ready to hit it; any of those ships turn this way and we are peeling out for a short jump," Han said, not convinced this was anything other than a very backwards sector… no matter that Felucia was firmly Imperial ever since…

...ever since there had been a dramatic crackdown there, because a Jedi had been rumored to exist in the sector, about a year before Han met Luke.

Chewie gave a less than thrilled reply to that, but a short jump could be calculated just on the gravity wells they could pick up on sensor, and he readied for the command.

~Hello,~ Luke answered, startled and curious alike, as the easy grip on his mind showed a level of control he knew he did not have, not yet. It was so gentle, not like the overwhelming power of Vader's thoughts, that he wasn't at all afraid. ~My name is Luke, but I don't know you, either.~

More than that, he had no idea how there could be someone still living with so much control of the Force, when Yoda had been so clear that all other Jedi had long since rejoined the Force. He half-heard Han, but he couldn't spare the thought to reply, not yet. 

"Luke," Leia called up, feeling her twin's distraction, that something _else_ had his attention, and trying to pull him back to her. She worried, when he was distant like that! 

~Plo Koon,~ came back before the link abruptly dialed down to a minute presence. Ahead, the Z-95s and allied fighters quickly converged to the point of the ship that Luke knew his contact was flying… and all of them started chasing a singular ship that had just jettisoned from the dying hostile capital ship.

Artoo wound up giving a single chaotic blip before his systems rebooted; that was Grievous! The strain of knowing what shooting that ship could do was just too much for his overloaded, very confused processors.

"I'm okay, Leia," Luke called back, having heard her, before he said sharply, "Han, chase that!" 

"Luke!" Leia protested, not wanting to get too involved in whatever the hell was going on here, "are you -- " 

"We need to help," Luke answered, saying again, "Han!" 

"On it, Kid. Might make a good impression with whoever is flying those antiques," Han told Luke, going into pursuit mode easily enough. They actually had a better line for the escape vector; something about the odd ship design was pinging the back of Han's mind actually.

It must have gotten Chewie's attention too, as he and Han fell into that quick, easy knowing of how to best coax the _Falcon_ along. They would do their best to get Luke his shot at it.

Luke sank into the Force, his fingers light on the trigger, as Han and Chewie sent the _Falcon_ towards the escaping pod, the range narrowing, narrowing -- _now_. He didn't watch the bolts, already aware they were going to miss, and pulled down just slightly before firing again. This time, he knew the shot was true. 

The pod exploded in memorable fashion, being stripped down to be capable of hyperspace jumps on its own, and Luke felt that presence open up in stunned relief.

~You are a hero to my men, and to the Republic alike, Luke,~ came a very grateful voice. There was no joy in the death, a simple necessity on that part. 

"Good shot, Luke!" Han called to him, as Chewie roared approval. 

Artoo, coming back online in time to see the embers of that destruction flaring out gave a low whistle of appreciation… and worry.

Luke heard the whistle over the comm and called worriedly to Han, "Thanks, but what's wrong with Artoo?" even as he responded to that opened presence, to 'Plo Koon', quietly. That relief and the quiet acceptance rather than joy helped reassure him that he had done the right thing, just as much as the Force's influence itself had. ~The Force said stopping it... him?... was important, so I did what I could.~ 

The Republic? Confusion roiled in the back of his mind... was this somehow some lost system, where they did not know what had happened? No, he didn't think that could be possible, no matter how remote it might be. ~Our nav computer is a little fragged, where are we?~ 

Leia crawled out of her turret and clambered up to crouch next to her brother, really not liking the way he kept fading in and out of fully present. 

"He rebooted, after he was working on the nav comp," Han called back, even as he got a little more serious. "Kriff, but some of those fighters are orienting this way… oh, no, they're cleaning up the last of the vultures. Whew."

~Felucia is the closest inhabited planet,~ Plo said. ~It has been hotly contested by the Separatists.~ There was a long pause. ~That is a very interesting ship you are on. Is that something they are doing on Bespin now, modifying freighters as gunships?~ The impression of thinking Luke belonged to a group there was strong.

~What?~ Luke blinked, startled, thinking of Cloud City and Lando, of the trouble there, wondering who Plo Koon was thinking of. Had there been a group of Jedi on Bespin, once? ~Oh, the _Falcon_? No, she belongs to a friend of mine.~ 

Leia's hand wrapped around his wrist, and Luke jumped a little, his grip on the conversation with Plo Koon half-breaking as his twin called his attention. He opened his eyes, looking at her, "It's okay, Leia... I think he's a friend. Even if he is confusing me. He thinks that's Felucia, too." 

"Who's a friend?" she asked, and frowned as Luke pointed towards the _Ventator_ -class ship. 

Plo waited politely, feeling the young man's distraction. ~It might be easier to converse in person? Would you be willing to come aboard? I am sadly aware that I will have space in my landing bay for a ship of that size,~ the man sent. ~If you prefer, a meeting can be arranged planetside, but it will have to wait until I have seen to my men.~

~I'm sure it would,~ Luke agreed, ~and... let me ask her captain if he's willing to dock with you. I'll reach out again once we've quit arguing?~ He offered that last wryly, well aware that there were going to be arguments about what the kriff to do now. 

~I will be listening, young one.~ The voice faded, leaving Luke to focus on Leia. His sister did not look the least bit happy or trusting in the situation.

"You worry me," she said firmly.

"Sorry, it's kind of hard to have two conversations at once. Especially when one of them's in my head," Luke answered, wrapping his hand gently around hers. "But I really think it's okay. Even though I have **so** little idea what's going on. Let's go back down to Han, and we can talk about what I found out." 

"Alright, Farmboy," she said, using his nickname for when she was certain he was being very naive. 

Han had settled just out of range of the clean up, and was watching as fighters limped back into the capital ship or polished off the droid ships. After a few moments of that, he decided it was rather depressing, and reoriented, to be kind to Artoo, and Goldenrod if he wandered in. 

Droids were never prisoners of war, if he remembered correctly. Years of dealing with Luke and Leia's pair made him wonder about the wholesale destruction, even if they had been more than willing to do it to Republic worlds.

Luke made an amused noise at her and slid out of the seat, hung up the comm set, and climbed back down. Leia would be right behind him, so he just got out of her way and headed forward, up towards the cockpit. He dropped down next to Artoo, running a gentle hand over his dome. "Hey, buddy. What's the matter? You sounded awful worried." 

Artoo buzzed a little and then gave a plaintive whistle. [Navicomputer reset and is still reporting Felucia,] he said, because what was wrong was not what he could say.

"Still handle the guns pretty damn well, Kid," Han said. "Any idea what's going on other than the impossible?"

Luke was absolutely sure that that wasn't all of it, but he didn't push for more, not with Artoo. "I know, buddy. I know." 

He looked up at Han from where he was with a moment's bright grin for the praise, then shrugged both shoulders. "Maybe? Got a question, though. Do you recognize the name 'Plo Koon'?" 

"General during the same war that these clowns are trying to continue? Yeah, I know it," Han said. "I think he led the 127th and … he had a unit before that, got murdered."

Chewbacca growled out the number.

"Yeah, the 104th," Han agreed. "Why?"

Luke pointed in the direction of the ship, despite the way they'd turned, "Because he's over there. He was talking to me, a minute ago. After I shot that pod, he said we were heroes to his men and the Republic alike..." 

Artoo made an incoherent protesting noise, all too aware that that was impossible. 

"Did you hit your head? Or is this some kind of holo drama taking things -- wait, how was he talking to you? There were no comms!" Han protested.

Chewbacca made a low growling question, wanting to know if the Force was being particularly weird to Luke. He was certain, the more he saw and heard, that they were actually seeing pieces of his past in real life.

Luke gave Han a long, quietly amused look, arching one eyebrow just slightly before he replied, "With the Force, Han. Like I've heard Leia, and sometimes heard Vader. And no, I haven't hit my head recently. 

"We're invited aboard, by the way, since he'd like to talk to me." Chewie's question made him tip his head slightly, and he sank into the Force to get a better sense of things -- and his eyes snapped back open in shock. The Force was moving in so many different directions, everywhere around them, that it was like trying to understand a whirlwind. "I -- yeah, it kinda is, Chewie.." 

Leia shook her head, "Are you out of your mind, Farmboy?! You want to go aboard an unknown capital ship on the strength of nothing but a voice in your head?!" 

"Kinda with Leia on this one, Luke," Han admitted. "Because Plo Koon was killed about the time you were born and all that."

[Force Things!] Artoo shrilled, before clamming back up. Fortunately for him, Chewie was saying something similar.

Han stared at his copilot and best friend. "You're on Luke's side?! Do you want to get us locked up or killed?"

"Thanks, Chewie," Luke replied, smiling over at the big Wookiee for a moment before he re-focused on Han and Leia. "What I want," he replied, "is to understand how we're hanging out over Felucia, when we were ten sectors away, who or what it was that we just destroyed, how a man that's apparently been dead for our entire lives was just very much alive and talking to me, and what's going on. 

"If he's as grateful and relieved as he felt, he's not going to hurt us, and might have at least part of those explanations. But okay, if you don't want to go aboard, he offered to meet us on the surface instead, even though it's been 'hotly contested by the Separatists'." 

Han looked toward the planet, thinking about what he knew of it. He then looked at the capital ship. "Felucia doesn't have man-eating plants but if there are still Seppies in this system… however that happened… I'd rather not run into them. I've got a bad feeling we're better off trusting the dead guy."

Chewie grunted agreement with that. Artoo just kept vibrating with all of the ridiculousness that this impossibility was… and the fact he had hope, if the impossible was true, that his pilot and his senator could be saved.

"They aren't chasing us or shooting at us," Leia did say, still very dubious on the whole matter, but slowly finding logic to bolster her against the oddities. 

'A bad feeling we're better off trusting the dead guy', Luke thought, wryly wondering about how, exactly, that was a sentence that made perfect sense given the situation. 

"No," he agreed aloud, "they're not. And we _are_ invited. It'll be all right, Leia. I'll tell Plo Koon, but you're the captain, you get to hail the ship."

Leia shook her head, her braids swinging slightly with the motion, and said only, "When this turns into trouble, I'm telling you 'I told you so'." 

"What's new about that?" Luke asked, amused, before taking a breath and closing his eyes to center himself, reaching out again. 

"Nothing," Leia and Han both said, before Han gave a small smile at the woman he loved. He then turned to ready for when Luke said it was clear to hail the other ship.

~Ah. There you are,~ came the warm, very fatherly voice. There was a sense of activity, and Luke almost heard the man speaking out loud while he held the link, telling someone to search for every missing fighter to confirm life or retrieve the dead. ~Your choice, Luke?~

~We'd rather come aboard than set down,~ Luke replied, ~thank you. Is there anything we can do out here to help, before we do, though?~ 

~Ask my Commander for telemetry on ships that have not reported safely in and search with us? I am fairly certain you do not have tow cables, but if you can find any of my men, you can report their positions.~ There was a deep need in this man to be certain all of his pilots were accounted for. ~We have four at present that none can say were truly destroyed but who have not reported in.~

~Sure thing,~ Luke agreed. ~We'll be in contact in a second.~ "Han, do you have tow cables hiding on here somewhere?" he asked, aware his voice was a little distant, "he'd like help finding four of their pilots. We can mark them, even if not, for the ship. And you can say hi now." 

Han stared at Luke a moment, then shrugged. "I used to, but I think we took them out in the last overhaul, didn't we?"

Chewie assented to that, somewhat apologetically. 

" _Victorum_ , this is the _Millennium Falcon_ , and we've been directed to aid in your search and rescue," Han said smoothly once he had the channel actually open. It did not take long before Chewie was being fed telemetry, and he was using scanners while they moved to the nearest possible ship.

The Republic flagship praised their efforts when they managed to find two of the four, tumbled behind droid debris, even if none of the four (as the other pair had been found by others) had living pilots. It made Leia feel slightly better to see the care and effort put into bringing the dead home; that was something the Rebellion all too often had not been able to do.

Of course, TIE fighters tended to obliterate their kills, and Rebel Pilots also tended to crash purposefully when they knew they were mortally wounded.

Eventually, though, they were directed to the bay used by Fleet shuttles, with an invitation to wait there for an escort.

"Escort. Aboard a capital ship. I really hope that's not just a polite arrest party," Han said as he maneuvered for the bay.

"It's okay, Han," Luke said, hand on his shoulder, wishing they'd been able to find someone alive, for Plo Koon's sake, but... space was so unforgiving. "We're not in danger, not here." 

Artoo wanted to talk to the _Victorum_ 's systems, to try to understand what was going on, but he could not use any of his Republic credentials even if he had been able to reach a port. The voice that had answered Captain Solo was a proper _vod'e_ voice, but that should not have been possible. He buzzed with confusion and frustration, and moved to press against his pilot's leg.

"You're too trusting, Luke," Leia said, still worried. 

"Leia," Luke said softly, taking her hand, "I know you're uneasy, but... reach out. Trust your feelings. What do they tell you?" 

She didn't quite roll her eyes but it was there. "I'm not like you, Luke. Yes, I know you, and sometime I can guess Han's mood. But I'm no Jedi and never will be," she said staunchly. She didn't have time. Mon and the other Senators needed her to live up to her parents' heritage and lead the people to being free even in their hearts.

Han straightened himself out, while Chewbacca straightened his bandoleer, and they headed back to the ramp. Threepio came out of low power mode when they passed the small lounge.

"Oh dear, are we there already?" he questioned, rising to join them on their way out. "Do wait for me! Dreadful, how humans always forget to compensate for the very legs they gave me!"

"Don't say that," Luke told her, before he let go of her hand. "You don't all have to disembark, you know," he pointed out on the way. "It's me he wants to talk to, after all. 

"Something strange happened, Threepio, we're not entirely sure what's going on, but we're safe. And no-one's hurrying, so you have plenty of time." He smiled patiently at the droid, even as he did slow a little more, laying a hand on one bent arm. It was so much easier to be patient with Threepio, now. 

Leia had made a sharply dismissive noise at her twin for the 'you don't have to' -- as though she was going to let him out of her sight if she didn't have to? Terrible things happened to him when he ran off alone! 

"Kid, I still think you hit your head," Han said, "with all the idiocy coming out of your mouth." It was gently chiding, and pulled a Wookiee laugh out of Chewbacca. 

"You're not the only protective one," Luke retorted, before settling down. 

Threepio caught fully up to them as they settled by the now open ramp to wait for their escort. Luke was the one to feel them approaching, as Plo Koon was with them. When the trio came into sight, Luke saw a tall being with protective lenses and rebreather. That it was Plo was obvious to him while Han and Chewie both recognized him from their younger days and the HoloNet of that era.

To his side was a man with a scarred face, carrying a helmet closer to Boba Fett's in design but the armor he and the other fully helmeted one wore was white plastoid… under various gray artistic markings. Luke's eyes noted that the tall being wore similar markings on what little armor he wore.

"Oh no, not him again," slipped out of the mouth of the scarred man, and Luke saw his focus had gone right past all of them to Threepio.

"Commander," Plo Koon said softly and gently. 

Luke's head cocked slightly, wondering how the man -- the Commander Han had been talking to -- could know Threepio, even as the armor on the two men made his nerves jangle with unease. It looked far too similar to stormtrooper armor, but the presences within were anything but the blank indoctrination of stormtroopers. 

Threepio actually did seem to feel the weight of the gaze and focus, as he blinked his optics uncertainly and shuffled a little behind Leia. Luke touched him for a moment, then stepped forward, towards the trio. 

"Hi," he said aloud, "pleasure to meet you face to face, General." 

Leia kept herself from rolling her eyes at her brother's tendency to throw himself right into the middle of things, and reached back to pat Threepio reassuringly as well. 

"It is good to meet you, young Luke." Plo stepped forward from his men, looking at them all. His gaze lingered on the two droids and then came to rest on Chewbacca, who drew himself up to his full height and looked squarely at him. "I see you have a warrior of Rwookrrorro in your crew. And we respect those that Corellia has seen fit to honor, Captain," he added, taking in the bloodstripe as his eyes moved on. He then looked at Leia and gave her a deep nod, recognizing her presence as a woman accustomed to respect.

"This is my commander, Wolffe, and one of our men, Boost," he finished for introductions. "Your aid in the battle is priceless, for what it will mean in the efforts to save the Republic from Separatist aggressions."

Both men gave brief nods, but Luke had a sneaking suspicion that either one would kill, or die, for their General in a way that was absolute devotion and respect rather than fanaticism.

Luke nodded back to the two, particularly the Commander, before the easy way Plo Koon spoke of things more than a quarter-century past as though they were current, pressing concerns rattled him again. He kept it to himself, or at least tried to, as he replied. "We're lucky to have Chewbacca as a friend, and this is Captain Han Solo. This's my sister, Leia, and Threepio and Artoo are the droids with us. 

"I'm glad we could help... but who exactly did we stop?" . 

Keeping back his full identity, and Leia's, didn't set well with him, but the Force had whispered a warning as he went to add their surnames, and that was one voice he did not ignore. 

Plo Koon's small tusks to the sides of the rebreather twitched. "Named for the great chieftain, Bacca?" he inquired, rather than prod the similarity of droids and their names, looking at Chewie directly again. His pronunciation was solid on the name even. "My Master, Tyvokka, told me that legend, and I have briefly met one known for him."

Han looked impressed at the pronunciation, and then he had to stifle his curiosity. How much of his best friend did he actually know?

Chewie gave assent to who he was named for, and praised the great Jedi Tyvokka, making Plo fold his hands together and bow. 

"His memory is strong among his people, and that is pleasing to me." He then extended one hand toward them. "Please, come with us to a more comfortable setting. As to whom that was you saved us from, I am surprised I have to tell you, as swiftly as you reacted.

"That was General Grievous."

Chewie and Han both snatched in a breath, absolutely stunned, and Artoo just vibrated all the harder against Luke's leg.

Luke sucked a startled breath as well, more from Chewie's response than surprise of his own, before Artoo's distress made him settle his hand firmly against the sleek dome, looking down. "What's wrong, buddy?" he asked, soft, before looking back to the Jedi General. "I only knew it was wrong to let him escape." 

Anyone that spoke Chewie's language so well, even on the names, and felt the way this man did was no threat to them, and he nodded his agreement. "We'd be glad to." 

Artoo did not understand how Grievous could be destroyed here, not at all. Or how Wolffe could look so young -- he had seen a holo of the rescued brothers, with the Senator, and Wolffe had been old -- or how Plo Koon could be here, and not understanding was causing all of his processors to skip and falter... but he would stay with his pilot. 

[Strange, maybe wrong, all Force!] Artoo managed to say, and that made Plo stop from leading them and come over to crouch at droid level. The Commander did tense but held his own ground.

"You look and sound a lot like my friend's astromech, little droid. You and your friend even carry the same designations as the pair I know. But that is not possible, now is it?" There was never a suspicion of theft, only honest confusion when Plo knew just where R2-D2 was, and likely where C-3PO was.

"He sometimes gets a little excitable," Han said, growing uneasy, as his brain demanded that this situation was exactly what it looked like, and yet… it couldn't be, could it?

"So does Artooey, as little 'Soka has dubbed my friend's astromech companion," Plo said, standing once Artoo had given a shy little beep, because he could not talk properly to the Jedi… unless he was unlocked.

Chewbacca quickly asked, to confirm, if he meant the tiny huntress and protector of the young, which made Plo's entire presence light up.

"Yes, I do. Padawan Ahsoka Tano… but you look far more mature than the young warrior that aided her!"

"General, sir," Commander Wolffe said in not quite a rumbling voice. "Sit, refreshments, then solve the mystery. You've been in your fighter for over ten hours!"

"That's a long time to be in a ship," Luke said, concerned for the man and for Artoo alike, Han's unease rippling into him right alongside Leia's, "and... we should possibly be somewhere... less public. 

"Artoo, buddy, whatever's wrong, we'll figure it out, okay? Let's just... get somewhere comfortable, first." 

Artoo warbled an agreement, and swayed forward against once-familiar talons before shifting back towards Luke. 

Leia, for her part, was pleased to be going mostly-unnoticed (strange as that was for her) as it let her watch their surroundings and the way the men dealt with each other. She could almost see Han's opinion of the -- she thought that was a Kel Dor -- stranger change for the better, at the proof that Plo Koon understood Wookiees well, even while she knew he wanted nothing more than to get them back on the _Falcon_ and away from whatever moment in history they had somehow slammed up against. 

Plo straightened and went back to his Commander, a brief touch of his hand on the man's shoulder seeming to steady them both, to Luke's eyes, before guiding them to a nearby ready room with a table and its own beverage synthesizer. 

"Please; be comfortable," Plo said. He then glanced at Boost, who removed his helmet, revealing a face that was similar to the Commander's, though he had a vastly different haircut that was colored a reddish brown compared to the near black of the Commander's.

Both men made to stay at the door, earning each a new look that was so patently disapproving parent that Han had to reach up and rub at his mouth to hide a faint smile, before helping Leia sit down. Chewie pushed a chair back and sat, stretching his legs out, showing he was at ease, before Han took his own chair.

"There was a distinct Force ripple, Luke, before I noticed your touch against my mind. This is why I made the assumption you were connected to the sect of Jedi that are on Bespin. However, as you have a Corellian at your side, I take it you could be of the Green Jedi," Plo said. "Yet, given our conversation so far… the truth is something far different, isn't it?"

Threepio followed Artoo towards a spot near the wall, away from the organics, and put a worried hand on his longtime counterpart, intent on checking him over as best he could. It was not like Artoo to avoid conversation, or to speak in such short bursts. Something was wrong. 

Luke had taken the seat closest to the other Jedi, and he looked at him for a moment before he nodded. "Yes -- or at least, I think it must be. We were pulled out of hyperspace -- though it didn't feel anything like an Interdictor's fields -- a good quarter of the galaxy away from where we started and our destination alike. 

"Han and Chewie both recognized the situation, and... I think Artoo does, too, though he hasn't said anything -- which isn't like him at all." 

Plo steepled his talons in front of him, surveying the three humans, before focusing on the Wookiee for a longer gaze. He then looked at Artoo. 

{"Little friend, are you operating under a security protocol instilled by an officer of the GAR?"} he finally asked, switching fully into the blend of Mando'a and Kaminoan that was the GAR operating language when they needed Fleet to be unaware of conversations.

{Senator-and-Jedi, sir!} came back in a binary that Luke could not decipher directly. 

Plo sighed softly. "Artoo is incapable of sharing his full memories with you, young Luke. He has a security protocol in place. Which, almost more than anything, tells me that the Force has been excessive in its oddness this time."

Luke looked between Artoo and Plo Koon, puzzled and concerned for his friend, even as he felt a little better at having someone older and far more experienced hinting at what he was starting to believe was true. "You did mention knowing a droid like him," he agreed, "and... it definitely seems like something almost unbelievable has happened. 

"I just... don't have the faintest clue _why_ , or what we should do in response. Chewie? I think we need to lean on you, more than anyone, here." 

Threepio had listened to the language and Artoo's reply, but he did not have those languages in his databanks. That Artoo knew a language he did not was _backwards_ , and he muttered indignantly to Artoo, "Translation is my function, not yours, what _was_ that!" 

[Mando'a Binary!] Artoo spat back and razzed his mate, before he rolled closer to Plo Koon. {Pilot. Captain. Snips. All keys,} he almost pleaded. If they were in the past, illogical as that seemed, he was not going to let anything happen to his organics of this time!

Chewie considered a long time before he answered Luke. [Right thing is to fix it. More lives saved, I think, by stopping the Sith,] he said so clearly, so slowly, that even Leia did not need a translation from Threepio.

Han stared at his friend. "If that's really possible, buddy, what does that mean for us?"

At that, Chewie just shrugged. He had no idea.

Plo listened to them, even as he considered the droid's plea. If this was all as it seemed to him now… there was a temptation like no other in their presence.

Luke looked at Chewie thoughtfully, biting at his lip worriedly. If they changed things, if -- 

\-- A sudden, wild, desperate hope hit him, surging through his mind and heart. Their father, his father, might be saved, if they changed things now... but where to even start? 

Or had they started it already? From the way Han and Chewie had reacted to the being they had destroyed, from Plo Koon's relieved gratitude, they had already made one serious change. Could they make more without causing something terrible to happen? 

/Ben,/ he thought, wanting that wise guidance, /what should we do?/ "I think you're right, Chewie," he agreed, "I just... barely know where to start." 

"Artoo does, though," Plo said in a kindly voice. "And I need to report to the others that General Grievous is confirmed as dead. As the 212th and 501st are both engaged in the planetary side of things, we may not have a long wait."

He did not miss the flinching, even unconscious as it was, at his words, and he looked from one to the next, to see if someone would answer.

"Hell, that explains that…" Han muttered, dark and somewhat heartbroken to come back up against another childhood legend that Luke's revelation had tainted. He realized Luke was confused. "General Skywalker leads the 501st," he said, more to explain it to his friend than any other reason.

"Vader's Fist," Leia murmured as she caught on to where the logic had gone in Han's mind.

Luke closed his eyes at the feeling of Han's heartbreak, at Leia's low whisper, before he stretched a hand out to Han and let his own grief go. "Not yet," he said, to them both, "maybe not ever, if we get this right." 

Artoo wobbled back and forth on his struts, looking hopefully up at Plo Koon and flickering his lights urgently. He had to save his organics, if it was at all possible. How long did he have? [Date?] he asked. 

Plo supplied it, in both standard formats. Han stared; they were only about halfway through the war if he was remembering correctly, and one of the major generals of the Seppies was now dead?

Chewie considered that date; it wasn't that long past when he had been kidnapped and helped the Jedi. His homeworld had not yet been invaded for the secret hyperlane knowledge and other resources.

[Get Artoo his memories,] Chewbacca said. [Let me talk to him then, before more changes. I don't need to be a Jedi to know this is dangerous.] As he was settling into what was happening, as he realized he had to take up his proper mantle as a leader again, he was shedding some of his carefully cultivated scoundrel mannerisms… much like Han had done at key points in the last five years, when his military background had been so needed.

"You are a wise warrior, Chewbacca, and I fully agree with this plan," Plo said. "I shall have Skywalker contacted, and one of the three that Artoo feels can help will come."

Luke felt the change in Chewie, the difference, and wondered at it, even as he settled a little at the quietly calm competence in both him and General Koon. He hadn't wanted to be the one that made that decision, and was grateful not to be. 

The idea that he could see his father as a Jedi still, as the man the pilots had told him about, instead of Vader, even if for only moments, made him hopeful. 

Artoo made a staticky noise at the date -- so far back, before so much bad... yes, could change so much. Make so many things better. Save pilot, save _Senator_. Make pilot protect Threepio. Yes. 

"Do you need supplies? I presume you will wish to stay on your own ship, but we can find a ward room if you need? It will take time for one of that trio to break away and come up," Plo said, beginning to put things in order so he could make another sweep of his men, handle communications, and then actually rest for an hour or two.

Wolffe brightened away from his glowering as he realized his jetii was being sensible.

Luke shook his head slightly, "No, I think we're all right, we had just left for a mission that was going to take some time. And yes, we'll be happy to stay on the _Falcon_ , thank you." 

Han would be happier on the _Falcon_ , definitely, and so would Chewie and Leia. Since they had to wait for... for his father, or one of the two people General Koon had mentioned -- who were they, and what had they been to his father? -- to come up. Waiting... never something he was good at.

"Very well. Boost will see you to your ship, and provide you with access to the internal comm frequency, so you may easily contact us or we can contact you." Plo stood then, and the others followed suit, with Boost moving closer to them, his helmet secured under one arm. 

"I hope you rest well," Luke said as he stood, reaching to offer Leia a hand up so that they could go back to the _Falcon_. "All of you, as you can."

+++

Plo made the comm from his quarters, and was still there when the return one came. He sat up from the reclining chair he slept in and activated his comm to answer. "Plo Koon here," he said, wondering which of the three he had asked for was on the other end.

"Hi, Master Plo," Ahsoka said, tired but cheerful, "what do you need? I mean, you're the one with the big news..." 

"Indeed. With Grievous dead, we may make strides in ending this, little 'Soka," Plo agreed. "I need one of you three to come here, as soon as you can. There are new angles in this that require aid from one of you. I know you are probably quite exhausted, but as soon as one of you is able, I would appreciate it."

Ahsoka blinked, her lekku twitching in interest, before she nodded. "I'll come up, Master Plo. Sk -- Master Skywalker's with Kix in medical, and Rex's..." Rex was overseeing gathering up the brothers they'd lost, bringing them back to be properly burned. "See you in just a few." 

"I am certain we can find a wounded brother or three in medical for you to nap with once you are done with your task here," Plo said indulgently. "I will see you soon, Little 'Soka."

He cut the comms, then rose to find his protective gear and outer robe, as rested as he would get now that he'd been awakened. Trying to sneak past the commander sleeping in his outer room would take all of his stealth, and he set about solving that, so Wolffe would stay asleep.

Wolffe twitched as the Dorin gas touched the air, his eyes opening -- it was a subtle scent, but one he'd grown accustomed to waking at -- to check the situation, even still mostly asleep. He roused a little more at the sight of his General, especially since he was in his robes. 

"Oh do rest, _ad_ ," Plo insisted, gently pushing his will at Wolffe… ready to back off though if Wolffe was insistent. He would never override his son's choice unless it was life and death.

Wolffe rumbled, his eyes narrowing at his General... but it had been a long fight, before. "Take Sinker," he said, wanting one of his own with his General, his _buir_ , if he was not going to go with him himself. He resettled himself, letting the brush over his mind soothe him back down into sleep. 

Plo let his assurance of doing just that bleed through. He very rarely went without one of his boys, as it made Wolffe far more calm to know he was guarded by one of the three original survivors. He stepped out into the corridor and tapped his comm. "Sinker, are you free?" he inquired, before going to meet his other son.

+++

Ahsoka stared at the ship in the shuttle bay, trying to follow the mods she could see from the outside. Whoever had done the work had to be a genius, or lucky. Then there was a movement at the ramp, and she saw a human in black, with a lightsaber at his hip. Plo was giving off patience and serenity, Sinker didn't seem to be too concerned, and the new person was very vivid in the Force, but mostly Light?

"Hi?" she called, not waiting for her Finder to introduce her, earning a chuckle from him.

"Luke, please meet Ahsoka," Plo said. "She has access to help unlock your Artoo."

"Hi," Luke said, smiling at her in greeting. He'd never seen anyone like her. He was sure of that, and very curious about who she was -- 'Ahsoka Tano', Chewie had mentioned, and he thought this was the same person -- and who she'd been to his father. "Nice to meet you." 

He turned his head back up the ramp, calling, "Artoo, come on out." 

Artoo darted down the ramp, optic sweeping, and he shot straight for Snips, beeping relief as he did. Snips would fix it, and then he could fix things, make things better! Save his pilot, his Senator, everyone. [Sniiiiiips!] 

"Artooey?" Ahsoka knelt down and brought her forehead to his dome in reaction to his joy and relief, but she was confused. "But I just left you working on Skyguy's ship, fixing the stabilizer!" 

"This Artoo, Padawan, is from a time set far from here, in our future," Plo said, waiting to see if he needed to do say more. Her head jerked back, eyes gone impossibly wide as she stared at him, then Artoo.

"You… you have intel." She took a deep breath against the wild adrenaline, forcing herself to think and concentrate. "You have knowledge we can use, yes?"

{Locked,} Artoo told her, aware that the pitch of his beeps was somewhat desperate, but he thought that was entirely justified, given the situation, {you unlock. You fix. _Snips_!} 

Luke watched her with Artoo, her hands gentle and her expressive eyes and lekku hopeful, and decided that whoever she was, this was someone he'd like to know. And then there was the so-affectionate, near-adoring nickname that had to be for his father... 'Skyguy'? Really? 

Oddly enough, he thought he liked it. Though it was strange to think of anyone that could become Vader allowing a nickname like that. 

"Easy, Artoo." Ahsoka running a hand over the dome. "Right…" And she started listing off the security key Anakin had made her memorize for 'just in case'. Artoo rolled back a little and went through a very hard reboot cycle, one Luke knew would take several minutes to complete.

Ahsoka then stood to her full height… shorter than Leia, Luke realized… and smiled at him. "If you're a friend of Artoo's, you can't be all that bad."

"I like to hope I'm not," Luke replied, smiling at her, quick and easy. "Artoo's saved my life... actually, I lost track of how many times a while ago. I don't know what we'd do without him. I... had no idea he remembered all the way back to this time -- whoever wrote the code to lock his memories must be a genius." 

"That's Skyguy… my master, Anakin Skywalker. And Artoo is just that kind of being; he's the one that saves our skins when we most need it," Ahsoka said easily. 

"Padawan, I think that will be enough for now; go rest," Plo commanded gently. "The chance of damaging the timeline in worse ways, little one, is increased, the more that know. I have agreed that Artoo and Chewbacca will -- "

"Chewbacca?" Ahsoka contained her disappointment at being dismissed and perked up at hearing the name of her friend.

"One and the same. You may see him later." 

"Yes, Master," Ahsoka said, before waving cheerfully at Luke before seeing her way out to find the sleep she really did need.

Luke watched her go, head tipped just slightly as he realized she had a third lekku at the back of her head, making her very definitely nothing he'd seen before, and then moved towards Artoo. He crouched down next to him, fingers running worriedly over him. Artoo was his friend, and seeing him completely stationary and shut down like this... was worrying. 

Plo waited with him, and when the droid showed signs of coming back up, he came and crouched near to them both, laying a taloned hand on the dome reassuringly. Sinker twitched a little, but they did not have quite the same rapport with astromechs as their general, who had been a pilot for so long.

Artoo's awareness, and all of his memories, came back to full capacity, and showing him the impossibilities still existed. Luke was on one side, and Master Plo Koon on the other.

"Hey there, buddy," Luke said, relieved, and rubbed for a moment at Artoo's dome under his fingers. "Did that get you what you needed?" 

[Yes,] Artoo answered, his optic shifting between his Luke and Master Plo Koon. This was still irrational and illogical, but it was what existed. [The Force is being _very_ strange, but I can talk freely now. All unlocked!] 

Should he wait to talk to Chewbacca? He had not agreed to that, and he knew more than Chewbacca did -- but he knew the Wookiee well. An organic's view of the events he found incomprehensible might be useful. 

"I am pleased to see you have been restored," Plo told the droid. "Please confer with your friends, especially Chewbacca. We must proceed very carefully, as I am certain you understand, being as experienced as you are, and influenced by Nabooian philosophy."  
[Future must not be,] Artoo informed Plo firmly, [Must find best way to change. I go talk to them now, yes. It is good to see you alive, Master Plo Koon.] He turned, then, and rolled back towards the _Falcon_ as swiftly as he could. 

Luke had watched the two of them, and then Artoo turned swiftly and headed back up onto the _Falcon_. He looked at Plo Koon, and said, "I do agree with Artoo, even not knowing half enough to really help sort things out. I think I'd better follow Artoo, for now." 

"Indeed, young one." Plo straightened. "Go. Have my communication officer comm for me when there is a decision made on what may be shared." He inclined his head to Luke, then went back to his man, giving his full trust to Luke for what would happen from here. His patience was strong for this situation, refusing to rush into the possibilities without proper meditation and thought.

Luke nodded and followed Artoo, heading up into the _Falcon_. They were all in the lounge -- such a familiar place for them -- and he settled himself next to Leia, looking at the odd tableau of Artoo and Chewie staring intently at each other. 

Leia slipped her arm around his shoulders, hugging him in close. "Artoo came in beeping away and then Chewie started talking in the quietest voice I've ever heard him use, and, well, look at them?"

Chewbacca was talking very quietly, small rrrrs and shrugs and nods as Artoo explained something. Han was trying to follow, but his binary wasn't that good, and Chewie wasn't using the easiest dialect to hear at his ability.

"He says he's entirely unlocked, now," Luke replied, Artoo's swift binary almost too quick for him to make out, too. He could sense Han's frustration and unease, "and he's very determined to change things. Which... I think we should worry, given the kinds of things Artoo does when he decides something." 

Leia was torn between a laugh and complete agreement, and her fingers worried at one braid for a moment. 

"If you two would pause for a moment," Threepio said, walking over to stand beside Artoo, "I could actually translate for Master Luke, Mistress Leia, and General Solo, you know." 

Chewie growled irritably, and Artoo echoed the sentiment.

"I caught that! I do too know what the Clone Wars were like!" Han snapped.

[Not as a fighter in them, as both of us were,] Chewbacca told him. [Artoo was close to all of the final days of the Republic, he says. He knows who did what to let the Chancellor take power as Emperor, or enough to let us save the Jedi, and the Republic!]

Threepio obligingly translated that and Leia's eyes went wide open with hope and shock both.

Luke's breath nearly froze in his throat at that thought, at the very idea of saving the Jedi. The Republic wasn't something he knew enough about to have an opinion, but the Jedi -- Ben's friends and teachers, all of Master Yoda's lost students, all of their wisdom and knowledge -- that was something he had to hope for. And even more than the Jedi in abstract... 

"Artoo? Is -- is there any chance we can save Father?" 

[MUST!] Artoo said emphatically. [Bad processor. Can stop. NEED him, let him save men, save all!]

Chewie gave a small roar of agreement. [They were good warriors. Artoo says they did not betray all; they were betrayed.]

"This just gets stranger by the minute," Han grumped. "But… if we change too much, we could make it worse. Like, we don't even know how Grievous being killed is going to ripple out. Because he wasn't killed this early. I know that much. He led the invasion on Coruscant, just days before Empire Day was declared. I remember that!"

Luke was surprised at the sheer depth of Artoo's insistence about saving his father -- he hadn't expected that, not really... but it touched something deep in him. That Artoo, who'd been beside him through so much, had that much loyalty to his father, to Anakin Skywalker... that said something about the kind of man his father must have been, once. "Okay, Artoo. Then we will." 

Han's commentary made Artoo make a disparaging noise. [Chief Tinny not lead invasion. Dooku controlled invasion, just hidden. Grievous ran away like always, as soon as Pilot and Kenobi were free.] 

"Okay, okay, don't get testy on me," Han said. "So we already killed the cyborg. And General Koon knows we know things, but seems willing to let us choose what to tell. Leading us back to what do we tell?"

[Biggest thing, cannot say where Vod'e might hear. Second biggest thing, cannot say where Vod'e might hear,] Artoo said. [Need Snips, because General Koon never alone. Unless… Pilot? You tell with Force?]

"He's pretty easy to talk to like that," Luke replied, once he had taken a couple of seconds to get used to Artoo being _that_ aware of the kind of things he could do with the Force. "So yeah, I probably can. What's that word you're using, buddy?" 

"He said 'vod'e', Master Luke, which is Mandalorian for 'siblings', and as he was using Mandalorian binary, I assume that is the correct language to source from, as opposed to any of -- " 

"Thank you, Threepio," Leia said firmly to head him off. "Why Mandalorian?"

"Some of the helmets look like their designs," Han mused. "The art has a similarity to some I've seen. I think the clones are Mando," he said, trying to pull all of his memories up.

[They are,] Chewie said. [Honor and duty. Artoo said they were stolen from themselves, at the end, the ones I fought on Kashyyyk.]

Artoo ignored all that chatter to roll back to Luke. [Tell General about Chancellor being Emperor, being Sith. But tell General the men are bugged in processors, not their fault, but dangerous.]

"Bugged how, Artoo?" Luke asked, "just from a few seconds with him, I know he's going to ask that."

[Chips. Make flesh-droids. No choice,] Artoo answered. [Heard Senator take briefing from Fulcrum about it.]

Luke felt nausea rise up in his throat and pressed knuckles against his mouth, "That's... vile. Okay. Before I reach out for him, what else do we need to know, or deal with?" 

It felt very strange to be asking Chewie and Artoo how to handle things, when they normally let the rest of them lead, make the calls... but they were the ones that knew what was going on clearly enough _to_ decide. 

[My Pilot is bugged too. Bad bad processor. Cannot tell him anything that goes against the Chancellor until that is dealt with. Snips is still young, but he won't hurt her. Might be best? Does not trust many Jedi.] Artoo let his tones go very sad. [Want my Pilot safe.]

"I'd kind of like to know he isn't going to be a mass-murdering monster too," Leia said to that, moved by Artoo's sadness but still so scarred by Vader.

Luke squeezed Leia's shoulder gently, unwilling to make any other response to what she'd said -- it was true and accurate both, and he happened to be on her side about that -- especially when Artoo was so obviously upset. "We will, Artoo. We'll help him, too. Okay... guess I'll give contacting him a shot."

He centered himself, focusing, and reached out, quietly looking for that brilliant, steady presence again. 

~Well, hello there, young Luke. Are you ready to discuss how best to move forward?~ Plo asked, even as Luke glimpsed through his eyes that he was touring medical.

~Artoo says the important things can't be said where your.. _vod'e_... can hear, but you have to know. So this way seemed best. I can wait for you to be somewhere less public, though. It's going to be fairly shocking.~ 

~I will join you on your ship. I can convince my boys to remain at their other duties,~ Plo said, though his fond amusement at their overprotective natures came through. ~I do not wish to tax you, and telepathy is not a natural gift to you.~

~I'm all right,~ Luke replied, ~but you're right, that is probably best. Not least because I'd have to stop and ask Artoo for details all the time. We'll be waiting.~ 

Plo pulled away from the contact, then made his apologies to the rest of his men, turning to leave medical. Sinker was told, firmly, that once he reached the strangers' ship that he could go off-duty, and no, there would be no need to call for one of the others to take over. It would be Jedi business at that point.

It was not that long before he was at the ramp, and calling inside. "Permission to board, Captain Solo?"

"I like him," Han said, sliding out of his seat to go escort the man aboard. There were a lot of Rebels who didn't follow that protocol. 

[Is good General,] Artoo agreed with Captain Solo, though he didn't leave his place near Chewbacca, calling after the captain, [close ramp.]

"Tell me something I don't know," Han retorted over his shoulder, and flashed a smile down the ramp a few moments later. "Permission granted," he said, waving a hand in greeting. "Welcome aboard the _Millennium Falcon_ ," he added once the big Kel Dor was aboard and he could set the ramp to close. 

"It seems to be an interesting ship. I'd love to hear about her drive and engine capability, when there is less pressing business at hand," Plo said, genuinely interested in the freighter that was more than it appeared. He followed Han to the lounge, and settled himself on the deck rather than allow anyone to give up their place. 

Chewbacca greeted him with a worried tone, and he settled into his best listening pose. "Now, how are we to proceed, friends?"

Artoo had not expected this, remembering that General Koon almost always had Wolffe or one of the Wolfpack at his side... but it did make things simpler. He rolled closer, his optic searching over the once-familiar face, and spoke bluntly. [Chancellor is Sidious, the Sith. Whole war... one big trap for Jedi.] 

Plo had to draw in a breath too rapidly for his mask, making it give him a warning beep, before he forced the slow, steady pace it was made for. He shook his head once, more to clear it, than out of denial. "That the war is destroying us, our ways, I knew. But… for him to be the Sith… when so many of us have been near him and suspected nothing? That is a terrifying thing to contemplate. Yet, I trust you, R2-D2, for I know your loyalty and abilities by now.

"My men would never be able to conscience such a thing being said, though, due to their training. Something I regret deeply, and some are able to think past."

[There is more,] Chewbacca said with regret.

Artoo shifted his body in a nod. [Is why I said no vod'e could hear it. I knew. Training makes them too loyal.] He paused for a moment, spun his optic around to Chewbacca, then back to General Koon. [Training and worse. In all vod'e, in brain, is a chip. Can be activated, make them do things they would never. The Sith is the only one that can activate it.]

Plo froze. The idea of the men being turned against their loyalty to the Jedi flashed through his mind, and he almost tightened his mental grasp on Wolffe before he caught his instincts and checked himself.

"That must be dealt with first, then," Plo said in no uncertain terms. "As I will not allow the men to lose what little freedom we have carved for them," he said softly, but it was a dangerous voice.

Artoo made a quietly pleased chirr, and bobbed his body again. [You are General Buir,] he agreed. [You protect. I am glad we came to you. I do not know how to fix it for many, only heard of one or two at a time, and not details of that. But you will find way.]

"I will indeed, my friend." Plo rested his hand on the dome a long moment. "I will task Ahsoka to take that part of the problem to Shaak Ti, on Kamino. She may have better luck. The other… I will call Kit Fisto here to be my courier for that."

Artoo made a cheerful noise at the mention of Kit Fisto -- he liked the big, friendly Nautolan, and he was good. [Third thing... must help Pilot. Processor is _not right_ , and is Chancellor's fault. My Pilot **would not** do what happens then. Bad programming. I know.] 

That had Plo Koon frowning again. He thought over what he knew of Skywalker, all of that brilliance and drive and the edges of temper that went as deep as the ones in Mace.

"I believe I can handle that swiftly, little friend. I would hate to lose such a talented man to Sith manipulations; there's been more than enough of that this war."

Artoo hummed relief, bobbing. [Save _vod'e_ , save Pilot, stop Emperor before is Emperor... all good -- ] and then he whooped alarm. [Pong Krell, Pong Krell, is Dark, hates _vod'e_!] 

The air seemed to crackle just a little, electricity playing along their skin, and Plo hastily drew his hands away from Artoo as he struggled to get his temper back.

"Really?" There was danger dripping in that one word. "I will deal with that personally."

Artoo had rolled back slightly, because the crackling was dangerous, but then General Plo Koon spoke, and he trilled relief. [Too many lost... but not so many, now. Not when you know.] 

Luke watched the other Jedi, felt the anger and the control of it... the electricity concerned him, remembering the feeling of the Emperor's assault, the unending felt-like-days of the pain, but there was no hate, nothing Dark. Anger, yes, but no malice. No malice, no cruelty. Only utterly justified, protective anger for others... but it still made him a little uneasy. Even though listening to him, to Artoo, made him really hope that his father could be saved. 

Plo gathered himself inward, pulling all of his anger, his frustration, his fear away, and then he released it into the Force, leaving behind only his serenity. It was needed; he knew Wolffe would be agitated and growing slightly violent-minded. It was one drawback to the tight bond he and Wolffe shared.

"Chewbacca, do you have anything to add?"

[The Empire will enslave the non-humans, if it wins. Your allies among the Senate should court those peoples,] Chewbacca told him. [But not the Chagrian.]

Luke blinked, looking back towards Chewie, wondering who he meant; that was about a specific Chagrian, not the entire people... but Leia's eyes widened, and he felt recognition flicker through her. She knew, even if he didn't. 

"As closely as he works with the Chancellor, I am not surprised. Disappointed. I will consider using that as an angle to get evidence." Plo wished for Qui-Gon's presence, as that Jedi had a manner for intimidation that was far more subtle and effective than Mace or any other Jedi he knew.

"It is so obvious, that he would have to be," Leia said softly. "By the time I entered the Senate, the non-human Senators were relegated to the shadows… except him."

"Not to be difficult, but... who?" Luke asked, cocking his head slightly. 

"Mas Amedda," Leia said. "Second most-powerful man on paper. In truth, we know that was actually Tarkin, until you took care of that problem," she added.

Han made a sour noise, having heard more of what exactly happened on the first Death Star since becoming involved with Leia.

Luke blinked, then nodded at least partial understanding. "So it's pretty safe to bet that he knows what he's working for? Some of what the Emperor -- sorry, Chancellor -- has planned, Chewie?" 

Artoo made a warbled noise of uncertainty -- that was something he had no data on. 

[Possible.] His fur and set of spine indicated a wish to tear the man apart to find out for certain.

"Leia," Plo said. "Would you be willing to work with Master Fisto on the political side of this? Your captain and Chewbacca could take you all to Coruscant, once I get my friend here, as you seem conversant with that arena. I will, of course, provide transponder authorization via the Jedi Temple for your ship, Captain."

"That'd be new," Han said, one corner of his mouth quirking in amusement, before he shrugged at Leia... he'd go wherever she thought was best, so that was her call. But the thought of the _Falcon_ with actually legal transponder codes was too entertaining not to comment on. 

Leia considered for a few seconds, then nodded. "Of course. I can be far more help there than anywhere else. I at least know who was most in favor in the Empire, which should point in the right directions for who's complicit now." 

"Good. I am certain Senators Amidala and Organa will be thankful for the aid." Plo then looked at Luke. "You, young Jedi, I must ask to aid Skywalker. I fear the task I have for Little 'Soka will take her away for a long time, and it is only fair I offer him aid in return. Would you be willing to do so? I can outfit you with a starfighter to take with you, so if he winds up taking on air/space support for Kenobi, you will be prepared."

'Senator Organa'. **Father**. 

She hadn't thought. She hadn't even considered that on Coruscant -- not Imperial City -- her father, her dad, would be there, would be still working for their people. Their people. Alderaan. 

Alderaan was still -- she could go **home** , if -- 

Luke had only barely heard Plo's words, overwhelmed with the reaction from his sister, Leia's shock bleeding to wild joy to relief and hope, images flashing through his mind as much as they ran through hers. He twisted to wrap his hands around her shoulders, to hold her, as tears started to come to her eyes. Oh, she would hate that, hate that being seen, and he tried to shift closer to her. 

Han, likewise, moved in closer to her, and Plo focused his attention on Artoo. "You, I have no doubt, will go with Luke, wherever he goes. That might get interesting, given your earlier self is down there. Or will you help the political side of things? Given Threepio's near-silence on matters, I take it he has lost his memories of this time, which is a pity."

Artoo considered, then replied, [I go with Luke. Was not in Senate enough to help -- but Pilot will listen to me. And... yes. But not lost. **Wiped**.] His lights flashed with his mix of anger and understanding. Threepio could not have kept the secrets, not like he would have even if not locked. 

"I beg your pardon, General Koon," Threepio said, startled, "I knew you?" 

Leia lifted one hand to rub the tears out of her eyes, trying to master herself, breathing deliberately slow and deep, but she shifted towards Han, making enough room for Luke to slide down next to her, then wrapped her other arm behind his back, leaning her head against his shoulder, swallowing against the giant lump of pain in her throat, the hollow pit of her stomach and the wild rush in her veins that might be hope and might just be pain. 

Alderaan existed still. Her father, her mother, were still alive -- even if they didn't know her, never knew her, they were **alive**. "It -- I -- I'm sorry, Luke, I -- " 

"Shh... no, Leia, no... it's okay," Luke soothed, hand spreading on Han's side because he couldn't get it between him and Leia and Han looked nearly as helpless in the face of Leia's tears as he felt. "It's... I understand, I'm okay. It -- we're here." 

Plo nodded politely to the protocol droid. "You worked with my Commander, once. He's not a very outgoing man, which is why he was a bit rude on your arrival." He looked at Artoo next. "I do not approve of such things, my little friend. Beings are far more effective when allowed to fully use all of their experiences. This is true regardless of if you are organic or technical."

There was a reason Jedi droids tended to be more versatile. This was part of it, the lack of memory wipes.

Han didn't really know what to say, so he settled for brushing a kiss over Leia's temple. He understood, even as his guts twisted on the idea of what these changes would mean for a kid sitting in an orphanage.

Artoo bobbed and flickered his acceptance of the General's words, relaxing somewhat. [Yes. Is true.]

"Oh. Well." Threepio spread his hands, "I... did not understand why he seemed offended. I am sorry if I caused him any distress, though I obviously do not recall it." 

Luke tightened his hand in Han's jacket, feeling uncertainty and fright. Han didn't talk about his past any more than Chewie ever had, but Han had been, for a little while, Imperial, had gone to the Academy. If that wasn't there, if it never existed.... Then that was something they'd just have to make arrangements for. If they could just get Han to tell them where they needed to look. He stayed focused on Leia, who was straightening up between them, her jaw jutting out in a stubborn line he recognized from so many nights when neither of them could sleep. 

Leia rubbed at her eyes again, moved that hand to squeeze Luke's shoulder, and pulled on all of her control. She had to get it together, had to be able to do what was necessary -- she'd had to do that after Yavin, after Bespin, she was _good_ at it. "I -- okay. I'm all right, both of you."

"No you're not, but you're steady," Luke replied, feeling her walls wrap around her mind and almost shut him out, her composure returning somewhat forcibly. "It's enough." 

He turned without letting go, though, to look at the other Jedi. "I'm sorry, I didn't really hear most of what you said to me." 

"Perfectly acceptable, Luke," Plo said warmly. "Your compassion is a joy to see. Milady, I am sorry for causing you distress, in any form." He gave Threepio a gentle wave, dismissing the concerns there. "As to what I said, I wish for you to aid Skywalker, and am willing to give you a starfighter to be able to assist if he takes on air and space support for Kenobi.

"I think it is the best place for you to assist, but if you prefer not to be separated from your family, I am sure Skywalker will manage."

Han snorted; he knew Luke would take that offer.

Leia shook her head, "It's -- you're more than forgiven. I... Senator Organa was my father. I was adopted as an infant, but he was my father. Losing him was -- I hadn't actually thought of getting to see him. I'm all right, now." 

Luke took a slow breath, locking all of his emotions about that suggestion down and away to look at later. Leia didn't need to deal with how he felt at the thought of seeing their father before his Fall, before he was so mutilated. And...no, reactions _later_. Away from Leia. 

"No," he said, shaking his head, "I wouldn't be any help with politics, and I'm told I don't hide myself at all well. Putting me near the Emperor might spell disaster. But I can be a lot of help in the field. I'll be glad to." 

"Then I will arrange it as I handle other things. You may be delayed in meeting him until after I speak to Kenobi, as there is the issue of the mistake we, as a whole, made in conceding there would be no harm in allowing the boy to meet with the Chancellor, so long ago." Plo inclined his head slightly to Luke, then brought his attention back to Leia. 

"You remind me of his ability to find poise in the aftermath of great shock," he told her. "He has long been a friend to the Jedi, and his queen has also been a guiding light in this trying time, making certain relief efforts continue."

Luke understood all of that... and hoped, so much, that his father would let this man help him, would choose to stay true to himself instead of Fall. He nodded, and fell quiet again. 

Leia managed to smile at the mention of her mother and the praise alike, nodding just a little. "He taught me a lot. Thank you, for saying that." 

"It is a simple thing, to remember to speak of kindness," Plo told her. He then pushed himself to his feet. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have many pieces to maneuver into place." He gave one last brush of a hand over Artoo's dome, before finding his way back off the ship.

+++ 

Han tried not to think about the oddity of leaving his ship on a landing platform on Coruscant itself, one of the outer Jedi platforms, or that he was entering the Jedi Temple. He tried to get a solid impression of it to tell Luke, later, even as he tried not to be too obvious about wanting to put Leia under his arm and protect her.

Master Fisto, who was this quiet and smiling Nautolan, had assured him he had arranged for the right Senators to join them here. That meant meeting Leia's father, and both of them meeting the woman that had given birth to her. 

The chamber they came to had everyone assembled already; the Senators had been asked to slip away from their days quietly and at separate times, but to be here by this point. Chewbacca looked around, taking note of the three humans and the one small Pantoran with interest, then he looked at the Jedi.

Yoda was using a repulsor cushion to be more on eye-level today, and Chewbacca felt some joy to know the small master might not face that trial on Kashyyyk. Chewbacca knew of Ki-Adi-Mundi, a formidable warrior, they said. The Chalactan woman was not known to him, though, nor the Iktotchi master. 

"Gentle beings, I am afraid I come bearing strange and dreadful tidings," Kit said once the door was sealed and the anti-spy measures were turned on. "Masters Yoda, Saesee Tiin, Depa Billaba, and Ki-Adi-Mundi," he said, gesturing to each one in turn. "Senators Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, Padmé Amidala, and Riyo Chuchi.

"Those with me are Chewbacca, Captain Han Solo, Leia Organa, and her protocol droid C-3PO," Kit said, and watched as the confusion rose swiftly in the Senators and Masters alike. "They are returned to us, in this time, via the Force being … pointed."

"In this time, is it, Master Fisto?" Yoda asked.

"Please explain," Depa said in a rich voice.

"Simply put, we were leaving for a mission in our time, about twenty-five years in your future, when we got ripped out of hyperspace, not by interdiction, to see General Koon's forces fighting Grievous's," Han said, speaking up. "Not that we knew who it was at first. The navcomp saying we were in Felucia's system, seeing a _Ventator_ , seeing Separatist ships? All of it seemed impossible."

Bail was watching the young woman carefully, not letting his awareness linger too strongly. She did not bear any of the physical features of himself or his wife, yet the dress she wore was cut to Alderaanian patterns, and that braid style was one Breha was fond of. That she kept looking his way, and at Padmé, was very intriguing, and he hoped to have time to speak with her privately.

"They have two other members of their party, who are currently assisting on Felucia," Kit said. "Luke Skywalker," and he paused to let them get over that shock, "as well as his astromech, R2-D2. The latter was under a security lock on his memories that Padawan Tano removed. Between him and Chewbacca, Master Koon was informed of certain events and circumstances. Master Koon then divided resources, and set plans in motion, based on what he knew.

"One change is already in effect, per Artoo's memories. General Grievous should not be dead at this point," Kit said. "So, like it or not, the time stream has been affected. Given what I have been briefed on, I welcome the chance to shift the tides, while being mindful of potential circumstances."

Depa Billaba made a low, shocked noise at that, her eyes widening. She had managed to keep quiet through most of Captain Solo and Master Fisto's words, but the idea that the timeline had already been so disrupted -- as General Grievous, appalling a being as he was, played a critical role -- was very disturbing. She was no particular student of temporal theory, but that... "Well, apparently some theories on paradox have just been disproven." 

Saesee Tiin rumbled uncertainly, his fingers pressed together, at that, and he kept his mind firmly within his own shields -- he did not want to know more than they thought it wise to tell. 

Padmé was grateful for all of her years of practice at controlling her face, at holding her emotions tight within her -- another Skywalker, a Jedi, from more than Anakin's life in the future? A... child? A son? 

She couldn't believe she'd be so careless as to get pregnant, not with what it would mean for Anakin, for herself, while this war was on... but.. a child. A child that somehow had had Artoo with him? While a girl that had Bail's name (but her look, Leia Organa looked as much like her as some of her handmaidens, if younger), had Threepio? 

She would never have sent Threepio away, not willingly... what terrible things could have happened? 

"Unexpected, this is. Listen, we shall," Yoda said. "Senators, invited you were. Of importance, this must be."

"If there is word to be had of how to end this war, or mitigate its impact, we are listening," Bail said clearly, taking the lead. He was eldest of those present, even if he deferred to Padmé in open Senate, as she had a gift for speeches that exceeded his own.

"Care will be taken, that nothing said here is misused?" Riyo, their youngest and still so new to her duties, asked. "The idea of breaking the time-stream is frightening to me."

"Ma'am," Han said with a serious tone. "Given what I grew up with after the war ended, and what we have been fighting against, some of us longer than others, I am certain you'd rather break the time stream here and now. Because if the Jedi trust you to be here to hear us, you can't possibly want them all to die."

Chewbacca gave a mournful agreement to those words as they rippled through the Jedi and Senators alike. Threepio stepped up to translate for him. 

"Chewbacca says the Captain is correct. And that if the Jedi die, as they did in our history, there is little hope to undo the Empire."

"Empire?" Mon asked, alarmed by the very word. "The Separatists form an Empire?"

"If only, Senator Mothma, it were so simple as that," Leia said softly, before firming her jaw and taking on the orator's role. "I do not know the history of how the Jedi were killed, or did not until Artoo was unlocked and spoke to Chewbacca and General Koon. What I did know was that there were no more Jedi, as a whole, and the Republic was replaced by an Empire, with the last Chancellor declaring himself the Emperor. This I know because my parents and my mentor told me the truth, not the sanitized version taught in schools," she said, eyes flicking from Bail to Mon in turn on those words.

Padmé sucked a horrified breath, distracted from her thoughts about a child or children by those pronouncements -- and her eyes tracked Leia's glance from Bail to Mon. Her parents, well, with her name, it made sense that she would look to Bail, and Mon would be an excellent mentor... Maybe -- maybe she was wrong, she was imagining things. Anakin would cling to a child, so would she, why would Bail have -- never mind. Not now, not facing... not facing the idea of the death of the Order, of their way of life, of the Republic itself... 

Yoda's ears turned into a flat line as the Force rippled and sang with truth. The young woman, Leia Organa, as much as Solo had, was speaking things they had to hear. Things that were true... no matter how hard it was to accept the idea that Chancellor Palpatine might intend such things. 

"Friend Chewbacca," he said, looking to the Wookiee who seemed, to his eyes, to have aged more than two decades in these few months, "agree with Captain Solo, you have already said you do. Know you, if this Emperor is puppet or Master?" 

Chewbacca growled his answer. [He is the Master. Artoo confirmed it, as he was closer to where everything happened in the final days of the Republic.]

Threepio gave the translation, and Leia noticed Ki-Adi-Mundi's angular head jerk as if struck by something. 

"How can this be?" Mon asked softly, looking to the Jedi for answers.

"Somehow he is capable of masking his presence, even in the company of strong telepaths," Saesee Tiin stated, considering it. "Politicians have a layer of duplicity by necessity… that is not an indictment, friends. I know the dance you must lead to care for your peoples."

"It is truth," Bail agreed.

"So we would not pry beneath that," Saesee continued. "His protests against the powers voted to him have seemed fewer and fainter in recent weeks."

Padmé nodded her agreement with that. "I know... I've seen it. The bills never come from the same Senator twice, but he's protested less and less about them, and I don't remember the last time I heard him say he would lay them down at the end of the crisis.

"And he's ignored you and I and Bail alike, Mon, no matter how we try to persuade him to lighten his hand... I have no influence left with him." 

But he had so much influence on Anakin. 

Fright closed a fist around her throat, and Padmé tried, again, to slow down her heart.

Leia turned her head a little, looking towards the other woman, who'd been so quiet so far, but who both Jedi Generals had spoken of with such respect. That had been bothering her, that this woman could be held in such esteem now, and she knew nothing of her -- and her father's instant attention to her, the focus and the slow way he nodded... 

Her father knew this woman well, but he'd never spoken of her? Mon had never said a word about her? 

"It seems I dismissed my wife's intelligence agency too soon," Bail said, trying to show amusement, even as they could see by his face that he was absolutely enraged by the revelations. 

"This is why Master Plo suggested I bring the Lady Organa here," Kit said. "She has knowledge of who the favorites, in the Empire, were. That may make a starting point for finding proof of the corruption." He paused, then continued. "I must ask that none of this ever be discussed in the presence of the men that serve as security detachments for you, Senators. Or you, Masters. Their training is such that they cannot think of the man as a potential traitor.

"And they are at risk for a second, more devastating betrayal, one that we cannot be certain would not be set off by calling the man a traitor in their hearing," Kit finished. "They are hard-wired, literally, to kill us all on an order from the Chancellor, Masters. That portion has fallen to Tano, and Master Ti, to find a solution for."

"That is horrifying," Riyo said. "If there is anything I or my people can do to aid in this, I pledge it now!" She felt a deep gratitude toward the men for all they did, and to hear that they could be turned against the generals they loved was unconscionable. 

Depa Billaba looked towards Senator Chuchi and couldn't help but smile, feeling the young woman's dedication to helping the men -- even more than the horror, the shock that radiated from each of them, Senators and Jedi alike, that need felt so strong. "Thank you, Senator," she said softly, holding on to her composure even as the thought of losing her men like that tore at her. 

Leia blinked, her head tilting slightly at the thought of her mother's intelligence operatives ever not hard at work, protecting them not only against external threats but the cutthroat maneuvers within the extended royal family as well, but that, too, was hardly the point. 

Padmé wanted to be sick and wanted to strike out all at once. The idea of the men that served so loyally and fearlessly, who were so willing to throw themselves in harm's way for the Republic and her Jedi, forcibly turned against them -- Captain Rex, who she counted on far more than he knew to watch over Anakin and Ahsoka; Commander Cody, ever watchful over Obi-Wan, the other commanders she'd seen with their Jedi -- by a man they all trusted and respected... but her horror wasn't going to help anyone. At all. 

"You may have, Bail," she said, quiet, "but Naboo has not. If we can give my people names to track and chase, they'll find evidence. And there's got to be **something** on Naboo itself. He can't have always been this good at hiding." 

"You give me hope," Bail said, smiling at her as it helped him control his rage to project friendliness. "Once I can actually break away to see Breha, I am certain she will point her operatives at keeping eyes and ears open on their relief efforts." He had never liked dismissing them, but it had been the easiest way to back off the mysterious accidents plaguing him and his staff, to show he was less a threat than he had been pegged as.

"Master Fisto," Ki-Adi-Mundi began softly. "There was a matter of access that was debated before you came to the Council, but of which you are probably aware. Where does all of this intersect with that?"

Kit's smile faltered, and his tentacles went so still that even Yoda took note. "Master Plo is aware of the danger. Artoo gave warning there, and it will be handled. You know that Master Plo has forged a stronger relationship with him since the war began. He will not allow the worst to happen."

"Then… the shadows that were seen?" Ki-Adi pressed.

"Were of the Sith's manufacture," Kit agreed.

"If you're talking about Anakin Skywalker," Han said, not liking the puzzled look on Mon Mothma's face and wanting to cut to the chase, "you'd all better hope General Koon can fix it. I didn't know, most of my life, what happened to the Hero with No Fear, and I'm not real pleased to find out. I've faced what he became. So have Chewie and Leia.

"The Emperor may have held the power, but his henchman, Darth Vader, was who the galaxy lived in fear of. I'd really rather not see that happen again," he said firmly, leaving out that it would break Luke's heart.

"Han!" Leia snapped, slapping his arm in frustration and wishing she'd done it sooner, cut him off instead of letting him run on, as Senator Amidala swayed like a leaf, her face draining of color. She was bloodlessly pale, her dark eyes gone darker, and inside her own chest Leia felt a rage that wasn't hers, but felt like her fury watching Han be dragged from her, not knowing if she would ever get him back or even see him again... felt it in the same part of her that had known Luke was safe, and knew this was her mother. 

Anakin had trusted the Chancellor, at first, because she did, Padmé remembered, distantly. Because she'd been grateful to him, and believed him, and -- 

"Look, princess, I'm not going to tiptoe around the issues here! It probably isn't his fault; I'll grant that. But the more people know and actually support him, the less chance there is for that bag of evil to sneak something past us and still get his killer!" Han pointed out.

"Captain," Ki-Adi said in a quiet voice that pulled the man to look his way rather than at the woman beside him. "Your concern for the galaxy is noted. Skywalker has one of our strongest mental healers aware of his situation now. We shall not let him slip into the Sith's trap." 

"Has anyone told Kenobi?" Bail asked in a bland voice. "Because I am certain that forewarned, Kenobi will not allow anything to happen to his friend. Not to mention, they are both quite adept at disarming Sith traps, once they have been marked as such."

Kit nodded. "Master Plo intended to contact Kenobi before handling the matter, Senator. I have faith that Anakin Skywalker will have all of the support he can stomach, even if his padawan is apart from him at present." He most carefully did not look at Padmé in more than a glancing way; her pheromones had very adeptly confirmed the not-so-big mystery of who the other Skywalker's mother was.

At least Obi-Wan was with him, Padmé thought, managing to get her first full breath in more than a minute, relief touching her. If she knew him at all, Bail was entirely right, he wouldn't let anything happen to Anakin that he could possibly help. She nodded to herself, a little shakily, and tried -- failed -- to let the soothing words around the room do something about her fury and her guilt. 

"You," Leia grumbled at the man she loved so much, "have all the subtlety of a rancor, but okay, I'll grant that. Partially." It'd been a terrible thing to do to Luke's mother, though. Her mother, too, but Luke was the one that wanted parents. She'd had wonderful ones. 

"So our task," Mon Mothma began, "is to find the proof of corruption and bring that into the light. While the Jedi task will be protecting the soldiers from being manipulated against their will."

"A good summation," Ki-Adi said. "And when the time of revelation is upon us, the Jedi will be on hand, against the likelihood of violence."

"Restructure our field units, we must," Yoda said. "Certain Jedi, more capable in arts necessary to protect the Senate from his attacks, should they come. Rotations in order, to belay suspicion."

"I suggest, Master," Depa interjected, "that neither Kenobi nor Skywalker be in those rotations, though Skywalker's padawan could be."

"She's so young," Riyo said to that, offended for her friend's sake at the thought of putting her in danger.

Yoda smiled at her. "Understood, your objections are, Senator. To fight the Sith, not the intention. Rotating Padawan Tano through, for appearances, as known, it is, a foremost lightsaber user, she is," Yoda continued. "Master Billaba, grasped has she that I wish more training of those here."

"I'm sorry, Master Jedi; I did misunderstand," Riyo apologized.

Bail wasn't going to discount the chances of Tano winding up in the middle of any fight that did happen, given the stories he had heard so far of her exploits, but he distinctly hoped not. Keeping Kenobi and Skywalker off-planet, at least for now, was a good idea, but he personally would let Kenobi know when the revelation was likely to happen. The pair were a formidable team, and Bail wanted to be certain the Chancellor did not escape justice.

Even if justice came in a stroke of a well-placed lightsaber.


End file.
